Alert archive / Illinois / Flash Flood Warnings in 1997
Flash Flood Warning 25, NWS Paducah, KY
NWS Paducah, KY issued this flash flood warning at Mar 1, 1997, 2:46 PM CST for Hardin County, Massac County, Pope County, Illinois. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Mar 1, 1997, 2:46 PM CST (20:46 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 1, 1997, 5:45 PM CST
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Paducah, KY
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Hardin County, IL, Massac County, IL, Pope County, IL
The radar
The Paducah radar (KPAH), 42 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:48 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
The nearest sounding before it
Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 220 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1238 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -2 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 505 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 53 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 334 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 406 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 3.0
- Supercell composite
- 13.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KPAH 012047 FFWPAH ILC069-127-151-012345- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 246 PM CST SAT MAR 1 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PADUCAH HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN SOUTH ILLINOIS ...HARDIN COUNTY...MASSAC COUNTY...POPE COUNTY AT 243 PM STORM SPOTTERS REPORTED THAT MANY AREA CREEKS IN MASSAC COUNTY WERE NEAR BANKFULL. OBSERVERS REPORTED THAT OVER 2.80 INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN IN METROPOLIS SINCE THE RAIN BEGAN YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2.5 INCHES WERE COMMON OVER PARTS OF MASSAC...POPE...AND HARDEN COUNTIES. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE BY THIS EVENING. A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON FOOT. TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND. SPODEN &
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Mar 1, 1:12 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 1, 1:12 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 115 PM CST SAT MAR 1 1997 MARCH IS DEFINITELY COMING IN LIKE A LION. SURFACE COLD FRONT WAS THROUGH SGF AND COU AS OF 18Z. NGM/ETA/AVN BRING THE COLD FRONT INTO SE MISSOURI BY 06Z AND SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY BY 12Z. A VERY WARM MOIST SOUTHERLY WIND FLOW IN THE LOW LEVELS WAS ADVECTING 70 DEGREE DEW POINTS NORTHWARD THROUGH ARKANSAS. WAA TYPE CONVECTION HAS DECREASED CONSIDERABLY ACROSS THE PAH FA SINCE 16Z. THE FOCUS SHIFTS TO THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT. 18Z KLZK RADAR AND LIGHTNING DATA INDICATED CONVECTION WAS ON THE INCREASE ACROSS ARKANSAS. 12Z SGF RAOB WAS VERY DRY...BUT AS COLD FRONT MOVES EAST INTO MUCH DEEPER MOISTURE...CONVECTION SHOULD INCREASE AHEAD OF THE FRONT. STORMS OVER ARKANSAS WILL LIKELY ADVECT NEWD UNDER 60 KNOT 500 MB FLOW. AXIS OF GREATEST INSTABILITY IS PROGGED TO COINCIDE WITH VERY STRONG LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE ALONG COLD FRONT OVER THE PAH/EVV/CGI AREAS AT 06Z. 20 TO 30 KNOT SOUTHERLY BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW WILL FEED STORMS WITH PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE VALUES ARE VERY LOW...GENERALLY LESS THAN 2 INCHES IN THREE HOURS. A CONTINUATION OF THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MOST OF THE PAH CWFA IS WARRANTED. SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL FOR TONIGHT IS ALSO QUITE STRONG. HELICITIES ARE PROGGED TO REMAIN QUITE HIGH TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY THIS EVENING...WHEN DIRECTIONAL SHEAR WILL BE STRONGEST. SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT IS QUITE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE FA TONIGHT. WEATHER QUIETS DOWN SUNDAY AS COLD FRONT MOVES EAST OF THE FA VERY EARLY IN THE DAY. GRIDDED DATA TIME SERIES CROSS SECTIONS SHOW CONSIDERABLE MOISTURE LINGERING BEHIND THE FRONT. LOTS OF CLOUDS AND COOLER TEMPERATURES ON TAP...WITH SOME DRIZZLE OR LIGHT RAIN POSSIBLE IN THE MORNING. MY/PS
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 1, 11:15 AM CST, 3 hours 31 minutes before
ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100- 107>112-114-011900- THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...VALID UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1115 AM CST SAT MAR 1 1997 ...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS THE ENTIRE FOUR-STATE REGION INCLUDING SOUTHERN ILLINOIS... SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...WEST KENTUCKY AND SOUTHWEST INDIANA... A SOUTHWEST FLOW OF MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR COVERS MOST OF THE EASTERN HALF OF THE NATION TODAY AND WILL PROVIDE THE NECCESARY INGREDIENTS FOR THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH COULD BE SEVERE. STRONG WIND SHEAR WILL BE PRESENT ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH MIDNIGHT WITH MODERATE INSTABILITY FORECAST. THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCASIONALLY PRODUCE STRONG WINDS AND HAIL...WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BY MIDNIGHT AND PUT AN END TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT FROM WEST TO EAST. . INDIVIDUAL STORMS WILL BE MOVING NORTHEAST AT NEARLY 50 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE FLOODING IN PARTS OF THE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT. ACTIVATION OF SPOTTERS WILL BECOME NECCESARY IN SOME LOCALES LATER TODAY. SDB
Special weather statement, Mar 1, 11:16 AM CST, 3 hours 30 minutes before
ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100- 107>112-114-011900- THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK...VALID UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1115 AM CST SAT MAR 1 1997 ...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS THE ENTIRE FOUR-STATE REGION INCLUDING SOUTHERN ILLINOIS... SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...WEST KENTUCKY AND SOUTHWEST INDIANA... A SOUTHWEST FLOW OF MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR COVERS MOST OF THE EASTERN HALF OF THE NATION TODAY AND WILL PROVIDE THE NECCESARY INGREDIENTS FOR THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH COULD BE SEVERE. STRONG WIND SHEAR WILL BE PRESENT ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH MIDNIGHT WITH MODERATE INSTABILITY FORECAST. THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCASIONALLY PRODUCE STRONG WINDS AND HAIL...WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BY MIDNIGHT AND PUT AN END TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT FROM WEST TO EAST. . INDIVIDUAL STORMS WILL BE MOVING NORTHEAST AT NEARLY 50 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE FLOODING IN PARTS OF THE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT. ACTIVATION OF SPOTTERS WILL BECOME NECCESARY IN SOME LOCALES LATER TODAY. SDB
Special weather statement, Mar 1, 1:25 PM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100- 107>112-114-020715- THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK - VALID UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 125 PM CST SAT MAR 1 1997 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THIS EVENING. HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE FLOODING. SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED... AT 120 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...SOUTHERN ILLINOIS... SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND WESTERN KENTUCKY. SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS DEVELOPING ACROSS ARKANSAS AND WEST TENNESSEE. IN THIS AREA...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP. THIS ACTIVITY CONTINUES TO DEVELOP IN THE VICINITY OF A FRONTAL BOUNDARY FROM NORTHEAST ARKANSAS ACROSS CENTRAL KENTUCKY. THE AIRMASS SOUTH OF THIS BOUNDARY IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE. THIS COMBINED WITH AN UPPER ATMOSPHERIC WIND MAXIMUM MOVING OUT OF TEXAS WILL INCREASE THE THREAT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION AS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE WIND SHEAR STRENGTHENS. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED A SMALL PART OF WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNDER A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM POPLAR BLUFF TO CAPE GIRARDEAU TO HOPKINSVILLE. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN THIS AREA. THE REMAINDER OF THE REGION IS UNDER A SLIGHT RISK. THIS AREA MAY ALSO EXPERIENCE SEVERE WEATHER...BUT LESS INSTABILITY IS EXPECTED DUE TO EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER AS WELL AS BEING NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT. ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FURTHER FLOODING PROBLEMS. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA SOURCE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL FLOOD OR FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS. NOLES
Special weather statement, Mar 1, 1:27 PM CST, 1 hour 19 minutes before
ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100- 107>112-114-020715- THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK - VALID UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 125 PM CST SAT MAR 1 1997 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THIS EVENING. HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE FLOODING. SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED... AT 120 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...SOUTHERN ILLINOIS... SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND WESTERN KENTUCKY. SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS DEVELOPING ACROSS ARKANSAS AND WEST TENNESSEE. IN THIS AREA...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP. THIS ACTIVITY CONTINUES TO DEVELOP IN THE VICINITY OF A FRONTAL BOUNDARY FROM NORTHEAST ARKANSAS ACROSS CENTRAL KENTUCKY. THE AIRMASS SOUTH OF THIS BOUNDARY IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE. THIS COMBINED WITH AN UPPER ATMOSPHERIC WIND MAXIMUM MOVING OUT OF TEXAS WILL INCREASE THE THREAT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION AS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE WIND SHEAR STRENGTHENS. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED A SMALL PART OF WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNDER A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM POPLAR BLUFF TO CAPE GIRARDEAU TO HOPKINSVILLE. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN THIS AREA. THE REMAINDER OF THE REGION IS UNDER A SLIGHT RISK. THIS AREA MAY ALSO EXPERIENCE SEVERE WEATHER...BUT LESS INSTABILITY IS EXPECTED DUE TO EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER AS WELL AS BEING NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT. ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FURTHER FLOODING PROBLEMS. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA SOURCE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL FLOOD OR FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS. NOLES
The office that day
Everything else NWS Paducah, KY issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 5:13 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | PAH | Alexander, Johnson, Massac, Pulaski, Union | 4 hr |
| Mar 1, 5:13 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | PAH | Hardin, Pope | 4 hr |
| Mar 1, 5:52 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Johnson, Massac, Pulaski | 28 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Illinois, 1997Every flash flood warning in 1997
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.